(MITCHELL) - A Mitchell woman was arrested after Special Agents from the United State Postal Service, Lawrence County and Mitchell Police officers went to the post office in Mitchell Monday at 3:46 p.m.

Agents arrested 52-year-old Beth Dumond of Mitchell on charges of theft and official misconduct.

Assistant Special Agent in Charge USPS Office of Inspector General Scott A. Pierce says not a lot of information can be provided at this point in the investigation.

In late May, USPS OIG Special Agents from the Indianapolis Resident Office began receiving complaints from Postal Service customers located in and around Mitchell.

"Customer complaints indicated that some of their deliverable mail had been rifled and, in some cases, the contents therein had been taken," Pierce wrote in an email.

Following receipt of this information, special agents began looking at the affected mail routes and soon focused their investigative efforts on one letter carrier - Dumond.

Utilizing various investigative techniques, the special agents followed Dumond on her assigned route and were able to determine that the carrier opened (without authorization) several pieces of mail during the delivery sequence.

Special agents subsequently arrested the carrier and charged her with theft and official misconduct.

Pierce says additional criminal charges may arise from the investigation.

L. Scott Caspall, Special Agent in Charge, Great Lakes Area Field Office, and who is in charge of this investigation says, "The American public expects to receive their letters and parcels on time and intact. Citizens have an expectation that their mail will not be stolen, rifled, read, or obstructed while in the possession of Postal Service employees. That expectation and trust extends to every one of the millions of mail pieces that travel across the country daily. Anyone who betrays that trust will be thoroughly investigated by OIG Special Agents."

United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS OIG) Special Agents assist the U.S. Postal Service by protecting the mail and helping to maintain the integrity of postal processes, finances, and personnel. Special agents are responsible for conducting investigations regarding mail theft by employees, injury compensation fraud, embezzlements and financial crimes, contract fraud, and other acts of employee misconduct.